The New Mexico State Police was established in
1933 under the name New Mexico Motor Patrol. Initially it was an
all-motorcycle force consisting of just ten officers. Their motorcycles
(Harley-Davidsons) were issued “civilian” plates from 1933 through 1938,
and the 1933 plate #M-220 illustrated here was assigned to one of the
first ten motorcycles upon creation of the force.

In 1935 the organization’s name was changed to New Mexico State Police,
but the motorcycles continued to receive civilian plates until
purpose-made State Police motorcycle plates were introduced in 1938.
Note that all of the State Police motorcycle plates are undated, but
their years can be told by their colors,
which, through 1947, were the same as those used for passenger car
plates.

The NMSP received its first patrol cars in 1935, but they carried
Official license plates until 1938 at which time the cars also received
purpose-made State Police plates. In contrast to the motorcycle plates,
most of the State Police car plates were dated, beginning no later than
1941. And, interestingly, as far as is known, State Police automobiles
have always received two plates (i.e., front and back), even in the
years when civilian vehicles received only one.

Passenger Car

Motorcycle

1933
(Motor Patrol)

1938

1940

1941

1943

1946

1947

1960s

1980s

2010s

2017

Retired State Police
Officially called “State Police Retired,” this plate is available to any
person who is a retired New Mexico State Police officer.

State Police Citizen Award. Introduced
in early 1970, the State Police Citizen Award license plate was
presented to persons the NMSP had found to have generously given of
their time and talents in support of their communities and in
furtherance of the work of the New Mexico State Police. The earliest of
these tags were flat plates made of plastic, and without the Optimist
emblem. The type shown here is made of embossed steel and was introduced
just a few months after the program began, replacing the earlier flat
tags. The project is believed to have continued through the 1970s,
ending by about 1980.

Motor Transportation Police
The primary responsibility of the MTP, a division of the N. M.
Department of Public Safety, is the enforcement of state and federal
regulations and laws which apply to commercial vehicles. But it also has
statewide motor vehicle law enforcement jurisdiction, similar to that of
the State Police.

When
the first passenger cars were obtained by the State Police in 1935 they
received state Official license plates. This remained the case into the
first half of 1938, when purpose-made State Police license plates were
first introduced for patrol cars. Thus, as seen here, in the early part
of 1938 State Police passenger cars bore 1938 Official plates. These
were swapped out later in the year for 1938 State Police plates. The
vehicle seen here, a 1938 Buick, later received 1938 State Police plate
#2. Author’s collection.